<p>My daughter got into Yale on early action, but she has also applied to some tech schools (her main interests are in CS, math, engineering, physics). Her impression is that students at tech schools work harder than students at the Ivies who are majoring in tech subjects. That's my impression too, but I have no idea how I acquired that impression or if it's accurate. Anyone care to comment?</p>
<p>I don’t know the answer to your question (and will be happy to hear the responses, as my daughter is a Yale sophomore in STEM who works pretty darn hard; she turned down some tech schools). But I think there are far more important distinctions to be made, and which should be the factors in your daughter’s decision. (I know that this question may just be one data point in a bunch of pros and cons) Does she like being around mostly tech people, or would she enjoy being with people of far different interests? Is she into the “geeky prank” stuff that is common at such schools? The cultures of MIT and Yale are pretty different.</p>
<p>My daughter is very indecisive. But I think she’d be better off in an environment that isn’t solely or even mostly tech. She likes the arts and humanities and loves her friends who are into these things and not into STEM. Her main anxiety over the tech places though is the old sleep/homework/social life, pick two. She’s really into her extra-curriculars and needs her sleep. She does work hard, loves to learn, but she is afraid of crazy demands that will make it impossible for her to be in a play, sing, hang out with friends, etc.</p>
<p>Have her visit during Bull Dog Days and MIT (or others’ ) equivalent. She’ll get to see the strengths of each and decide from there. </p>
<p>But to be honest, from your description, I think Yale will win her over.</p>
<p>Sounds like a Yalie but keep in mind that Yale engineering is tiny and not nearly close in reputation to MIT. The MIT Enginering degree gets you at least an interview anywhere, Yale not so much.</p>
<p>My son will be starting at Yale next Fall in Math which is also a very small department. Like your daughter, he prefers being around a broad variety of fellow students and academics. He specifically did not apply to MIT and the other top STEM schools for this reason.</p>
<p>I’m a STEM sophomore at Yale, and I’d be happy to answer questions about Yale’s STEM program/culture via private message if needed. If your daughter wants to do physics, math or CS, Yale has great academic programs and research opportunities in these areas, and it should come down to the cultures of the institutions and other opportunities. I can’t really speak for engineering though… </p>
<p>I definitely don’t think that people at tech schools work harder than STEM majors at Yale - I’m pretty close to some MIT people, and they work fewer hours per week than I do. I’m doing the intensive physics major at Yale, and our cohort is very close, because we spend a lot of time working together. There’s a lot of STEM majors now at Yale - my Quantum Mechanics class (which is designed for the intensive physics stream - an easier QM class exists) has about 40 students. I feel as though there’s not the same culture at Yale of IHTFP even if we do have a lot of work - people seem a bit less isolated. </p>
<p>I’m definitely one of the more hardcore science students here - 80% of my classes this semester are STEM. But I value the culture here so much - I love being able to discuss literature and philosophy, and I love the fact that my arts credits are rigorous and that my English and foreign language skills have blossomed in class.</p>
<p>thx for the feedback, very helpful!</p>
<p>Santacata, I sent you a PM about a week ago. Check your messages.</p>
<p>I would second those who say that students at Yale in the hard-core STEM subjects do work very hard. The difference may be that Yale does have a lot of humanities majors and, let’s be honest, and speaking as a proud history major, those majors are not as intensive as engineering (although I still think my undergrad architecture major friends work the hardest). Agree with those who say that the MIT degree carries more prestige in engineering, particularly internationally, but Yale is VERY serious about putting resources into the STEM areas and there are lots of great opportunities for STEM majors.</p>
<p>Good luck to your daughter, she really can’t go wrong!</p>
<p>Our student is a STEM major and very busy. A P set last week took 19 hrs. One P set. </p>
<p>Y and MIT are very different experiences. Our student looked at both, spent and overnight at both, and that helped.</p>
<p>Your student has the good fortune to choose between Y and MIT…thats amazing. Can’t go wrong either place.</p>
<p>Santacata, I don’t think your daughter is going to make the choice of college (and if she does, that wouldn’t be sensible enough) over how harder students work at a particular college. </p>
<p>Yet, if she is rooting up for a hardcore science or Engineering major, a tech school like Caltech or MIT would be better for her… However, if she is also looking for an undergraduate experience that affords liberal arts studies and some exploring, Yale would be a much better place. Make her know that both choices are extremely good and she is lucky enough to get the privilege to chose b/w Yale and MIT…</p>
<p>There are a lot of hardcore science students at Yale, just saying (multiple I*O competitors in each year, all of that jazz). However, the social experience at Yale and at MIT is very different because there are also a lot of hardcore humanities students at Yale.</p>